How to Apply for a France Student Visa from India

Benefits of Studying in France

• Affordable and quality education in top universities, as per QS World Rankings.
• One of the top-most preferences for international students who decide to study abroad.
• Wide variety of courses with structured curriculum.
• Provision to work up to 75-80 hours part-time per month while pursuing France education.
• Excellent career opportunities since French companies have a strong presence globally.
• Favourable environment for innovation and young entrepreneurs.
• Rich in cultural heritage and historical foundation to immerse into it.

Types of France Student Visa

To apply France Student visa, one must finalize their course and its duration of that course. French student visas are given based on the duration of their stay there.  The following lists out the types of visas –

• Schengen Short-Stay Student Visa: Visa lasts less than 3 months and cannot be renewed.
• Visa for Sitting Entrance Exam: Visa given for those who takes entrance exams in France University.
• Temporary Long-Stay Visa: Visa given in the period of 3-6 months and cannot be renewed.
• Long Stay Visa: Visa issued for longer than 6 months and can act as residence permit.
• Extended Stay Research Scholar Visa: Visa given for those with master’s who comes to France for Research or teaching.

Eligibility Criteria to Apply France Student Visa

• Applicant must be over 18 years of age.
• Proof of enrolment from the French University.
• Proof of self-sufficiency in covering necessary expenses such as living expenses, tuition and other relevant charges.

France Student Visa Requirements

For the France student visa, it requires an appropriate set of documentation to enable an unobstructed approval process.  Following is a list of the requirements for a French visa –

• A valid passport (old passports are to be attached, if any)
• Filled France visa application form and its receipt of the visa application fee.
• Birth Certificate from home country
• Letter which explains the motivation to apply the program and justification of one’s suitability.
• Letter of acceptance from the university.
• Nonobjection certificate (NOC)
• Proof of accommodation and self-finance
• Health Insurance with valid coverage in France
• Academic documents and transcripts
• Certificate of French Language Proficiency
• Proof of civil status (if applicable)

How to Apply France Student Visa from India

Applying for the France student visa is an organized procedure and need to be carried out linearly.  Here are the steps starting from prerequisite to its entirety.

Step-1 : Prerequisite – Opening EEF Number

• Go to the official website of Etudes en France (Click Here) and register your account by filling up the basic details. Confirm the account by choosing the password the Campus France ID number starting IN.
• Once logged in, go to “Apply for the Program in France” tab and fill out the details along with attaching some mandatory documents.
• Then, choose the program to pursue by “Add Program to the Cart” option and select the course and timeline as per your preference.
• Submit the application and after processing the application, the Campus France officer will send an email for an interview. A sum of Rs.18,000 to be paid as a processing fee using this website (Payment)
• After the interview is completed, the interview completion letter will be sent to the applicant and the universities will send the short notices to the applicant’s account. This can be cross-checked in their Etudes’ accounts

Step-2 : Logging into the Account

The visa process starts only after the applicant receives an acceptance letter from the university.  After receiving, follow the following:

• Go to the official website of France visa (Click Here) and select “Start your Visa Application” tab.
• Select the same again and create an account, if there is no record of previous log-in.
• A new webpage opens and click “Create a new application in a new group of applications”. This directs to the next page “Your Plans”.

Step-3 : Your Plans

• This page contains the nationality of an applicant and other details such as passport number, plans in France, the type of visa (duration) and so on.
• Fill out the required questions without error.
• Save the document and click verify. Next webpage opens.

Step-4 : Your Information

• This page contains the basic details of an applicant like personal information, address, contact details and so.
• Fill the details and click Next.

Step-5 : Your Last Visa

• This webpage checks if there is a record of previous stays in France for study for three months in a row.
• Click “Yes” if you have any, and if not, click “No”.
• Save the page and then click Next.

Step-6 : Your Stay

• This page asks the date of arrival and the duration of the stay in France.
• This also asks the EEF number (application ID number) which can be seen in the upper right-hand corner of the EEF’s official site.
• Enter the scholarship details, if availed.  If not, visit this CanApprove page for the list of scholarships in France.
• Enter the details and click Next.

Step-7 : Your Contacts

• In this page, fill out the details about the temporary residence in France and the funding information.
• Select the relevant information and then click Next.

Step-8 : Your Supporting Documents

• This page asks to upload the necessary documents such as proof of self-finance and accommodation proofs.
• Upload in either PDF format/JPG format in a clear resolution.
• Click Continue.

Step-9 : Interview

• After completing the above, book an appointment under VFS-France to submit the documents and passport as well as biometrics.
• Once visa is approved, it can be collected directly from VFS Office or it can be delivered directly to home, if the charges are additionally paid.

France Student Visa Processing Time

The processing time would vary between 15 days (for French Schengen student visa) and 30 days (for the National French Student visa) and may take even more.  This can be determined by a set of factors such as validity, the number of entries, the volume of applications at embassy/consulate and the previous travel history. So, depending on the constraints, it is advisable to apply early as soon as possible.

Post Study Work Permit in France

If a student wants to continue their stay in France, there are certain pre-terms to be considered before taking the final decision.  They are –

• If the visa lasts 6 months or less, they are not allowed to stay in France after their course completion. However, they can return with a valid France Work Permit.
• If the student completes an undergraduate or postgraduate program, he (or) she can stay back only with valid paid employment. They can apply for the residence permit using their employability to reside in France.
• If the student completes an undergrad and is not employed in any work, he (or) she can request an APS (Authorisation provisoire de séjour) visa, which is a 12-month temporary resident visa for job hunting.
• However, students who arrived with a VLT-TS visa with a master’s degree or above would be exempt from the aforementioned terms. They can remain in France for a period of 24 months to look for employment.

Concluding Remarks

Finally, for students who want to begin their higher education in a Schengen nation, applying for a student visa to France would be a great option.  The infrastructure and facilities in their educational institutions are state-of-the-art.  For further clarity, consider visiting CanApprove.